Protector
by MommaTrickster
Summary: His voice had never sounded so cold.


Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and I am making no money from this.

A.N.: Just a little one shot from a list of prompts I wrote down.

 **Protector**

His voice had never sounded so cold. I'd never heard him speak like that to anyone before, and especially not to her. All I could do was stare at his back in surprise while I held my right hand tightly clasped on my left shoulder. The arrow had hit higher than she had aimed it because I flinched at just the right moment.

"I will not let anyone hurt Kagome," he spoke in that cold, deadly calm tone, "Not even you, Kikyo."

I shivered at the tone of his voice. It reminded me of Sesshomaru. It was not a tone I'd ever heard him use before, and I hoped I'd never hear it again.

"Will you attack me, Inuyasha?" Kikyo taunted him in her lilting, sing-song voice.

"I will protect Kagome," he told her firmly, "By whatever means necessary."

"Is that...girl...more important to you than I am?" she asked him.

"Yes."

"You! You ungrateful beast!" she yelled in anger.

"Leave, now, Kikyo," Inuyasha demanded in that cold, dead tone, "You will not hurt Kagome again."

I saw her soul collectors carry her away. We stood still for several long moments before he placed Tessaiga back in its sheath and turned around to face me.

"Kagome, are you alright?" he asked me in a soft, warm tone.

"I...I think so," I answered quietly.

He picked me up in his arms and leapt up into a tree. He leapt from treetop to treetop as he carried me back to the campsite where our friends waited for us. I was surprised when he landed beside the stream not far from camp. He set me down on my feet and looked at me shyly for a moment.

"I...I might be able to...to help it heal," he told me quietly.

"Really?" I asked in surprise.

"I...Inu yokai have healing properties in their...their mouths," he told me with a light blush.

I thought about the so called 'old wives tale' about dog saliva and nodded at him. He gently moved my shirt out of the way and hesitantly leaned his head down to my shoulder. I set my hands on his waist and held myself as still as I could. I bit my lip in surprise as his tongue brushed against the hole in my shoulder from the arrow. I inhaled sharply in pain when he pressed his tongue into the hole. He hid that several times before he pulled back to look at the wound.

My shoulder was tingling and itchy and I knew that meant it was healing. After a few moments, he licked the outside of the would on the front of my shoulder. He spent a few moments there before he stopped and gently grabbed my hands.

"Turn around," he whispered.

I turned around and stood still as he gave the back of my shoulder the same treatment. After a few moments, he stopped and gently grabbed my left arm. He moved it around slowly and I could feel him watching my shoulder mover.

"Does it hurt at all?" he asked.

"No, it doesn't hurt," I told him, "Just a little stiff, but that's all."

"Good."

He turned me around to face him and fixed my shirt. He held me gently by my upper arms as he looked into my eyes.

"I won't let her hurt you again, Kagome," he promised me.

He pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me. I slid my arms around his waist and closed my eyes.

"I was...scared, Kagome," he whispered, "I thought for sure that arrow was going to kill you. And then you moved...I...Kagome, she nearly killed you!"

"I'm okay, Inuyasha," I whispered, "I'm okay. I'm here."

We stood there quietly, holding each other close, for several long moments.

"We should get back," he said softly.

I nodded and smiled at him as we separated. We walked the rest of the way to camp and I caught the bundle of red that leapt at me with a sob.

"Kagome!" Shippo sobbed as he clung to me, "I was..so..so..scared! Those...st...stupid...snake..th...things..to...took..you...away!"

"It's okay, Shippo," I told him gently, "I'm alright. I'm okay, sweetheart. I'm okay. Inuyasha saved me, I'm okay."

"Ka..Kagome...I...I smell your blood," Shippo whimpered.

"It's alright, Shippo," I assured him, "I'm okay."

"Relax, runt," Inuyasha told him, "I healed her, she's fine. You're just smelling what's on her shirt."

"How did her shirt get blood on it?" Sango demanded as she approached us.

"Kikyo tried to kill her," Inuyasha said, "I got to Kagome too late, but she moved and the arrow hit her shoulder."

"She was aiming for Kagome's heart?!" Shippo yelled out in horror.

"Yeah," Inuyasha acknowledged, "But Kagome moved before I could even get to her. It hit her shoulder. I pulled it out and protected her. I told Kikyo that I won't let her hurt Kagome again."

Shippo trembled in my arms and I held him close to me. Inuyasha gently grasped my arm and led me over the the fire. I sat down with Shippo still in my arms. He clung to my pajama top and whimpered softly. I looked up at Inuyasha as the rat rove was draped around me.

"Shippo, let her go for a second," Inuyasha said softly as he gently grabbed the little kit, "Let her take off her bloody shirt. We'll get her a clean one from her bag."

Shippo nodded and let Inuyasha pull him away from me. I smiled at Sango as she knelt in front of me and held the fire rat robe closed so I could pull off my pajama top. I dropped it onto the ground and quickly pulled on the tank top Inuyasha brought over to me.

"I didn't see anymore of those long sleeved sleep tops," he told me, "keep the fire rat on for the night."

I smiled and nodded at him as he grabbed my bloodied top and handed it to Sango.

"Would you go rinse that?" he asked her quietly, "I don't want to leave her."

Sango agreed with a smile and Kirara followed her as she left for the stream with my pajama top in hand. I finished fastening the fire rat robe around me and smiled at Shippo as he curled back up into my lap. I smiled in thanks as Miroku handed me a cup of tea before he settled himself back in his spot across the fire. Sango and Kirara returned after a few minutes. She hung my now wet shirt from a low tree branch and sat down next to Miroku. She smiled softly when she saw Inuyasha sitting next to me.

"We will have to be watchful," Miroku spoke calmly, "I am certain that she will try again at some point."

"I won't let her hurt Kagome again," Inuyasha said firmly.

"Will you be able to strike her down if it comes to that, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked him.

"I'll strike down anyone who thinks they can hurt Kagome," he answered.

I felt his youki pulse angrily and looked at him in surprise. His golden eyes were rimmed in red and faint purple stripes highlighted his cheekbones.

"Inuyasha," I called to him softly.

He turned to me and I smiled at him as I reached and ran my fingers over the stripe on his left cheek.

"I know you'll protect me," I told him, "I trust you."

His eyes widened in surprise and his markings faded away. He blushed lightly as he grabbed my hand and gently squeezed it.

"You should sleep, Kagome," he said quietly.

I nodded and let him lead me over to my sleeping bag. I curled up inside of it with Shippo asleep in my arms. I smiled at Inuyasha as he settled himself against a tree right next to me. I closed my eyes and let myself fall asleep, content in the knowledge that Inuyasha was watching over me.

I woke in the morning to find Sango and Miroku already making breakfast. Shippo was chasing Kirara around the campsite and Inuyasha was still sitting against the tree next to me.

"Morning," he greeted me quietly.

"Good morning, Inuyasha," I replied with a smile.

After breakfast, I stepped behind a tee to change and smiled at Inuyasha when I handed him his fire rat robe. We packed up our camp and continued on the road in search of Naraku and the shards of the Shikon Jewel.


End file.
